Six Times, Five Nightmares
by zippitydoodaa321
Summary: Five times House has a nightmare, and one time he has a nice dream. Involves violence such as child abuse , slight spoilers nothing beyond last episode , Huddy, House/Wilson friendship, and House/Wilson/Cuddy friendship. Please rate and review.


**AN: So, I had this idea today, and I wrote it all today so I'm proud of myself. I really hope you like it, so read and review, and also I wrote a drabble thing a couple of days ago that I didn't get any comments on, so try and check that out.**

**I worked hard on this. It was tough because it's pretty much in present tense, and I'm not used to that. Please no flames, and I know sometimes my grammar and spelling is not that great, but I do try!**

**(I should have really great grammar since I got the highest score on my placement test for honors English out of everyone in my class.)**

**Enjoy!**

**Disclaimer: No, I don't own House, but I like to borrow the characters.**

The first time is when he has the flu.

He tosses and turns, twisting the blankets on his bed around himself as his father chases after him through Egyptian Pyramids, Japanese Gardens, and Greek ruins. He had come home late past his curfew, and was sure he'd get punished.

His father finally catches him, almost literally dragging him back home. It's the house they had when John was stationed in North Carolina with the white picket fence and the hammock in the yard. Once John drags him inside and down the main hallway, the younger House knows exactly where they are going.

They both enter the bathroom, and because John is so strong and Greg is so light for twelve years old, John hoists him up onto the counter with the sink.

"It's the third time," John snarls through gritted teeth. "Three times too many you've been out past curfew. You know what comes next, boy."

Gregory just shivers with fear while the older Gregory shivers from lack of warmth.

John smacks Greg behind the head, and Greg tries not to cry. He tries not to show his vulnerability, because he knows the punishment will only get worse.

"What have I told you, boy? What have I told you about staying out later than you're 'posed to?"

"You told me I'd be punished," he whimpers.

"But, you did it anyway."

"Yeah," he drops his head down and stares at his lap, not wanting to reveal the tears welling up in his eyes to his father.

"Yes, _what_?" John growls as he lifts Greg's head up and smacks him once more across the face.

"Yes, sir," Greg sniffles, but still speaks loudly and clearly.

"Let's see if you're late again after this." John picks a struggling Greg up from the counter and carries him to the bath tub, filled almost to the brim with icy water.

Right as John is about to set Greg into the tub, he wakes up.

House leans over the side of his bed where a garbage can sits, and retches. He's in a feverish daze, sweating and shivering. He untangles his sheets, and calls a worried Cuddy to let her know he won't be in work.

He pulls his blankets all the way around him, even though it's too hot, because he doesn't want to feel the cold.

******

The second time is one of the times Wilson crashed on his couch.

He is riding his motorcycle leaving Tritter and the cops in his dust.

All is going well as he sleeps peacefully. House likes the rush of the wind against his face and the blur of the landscape on all sides of him.

He goes faster and faster down an old country road, dirt flying up behind him before settling back down gracefully.

A hint of a smile appears on his face, because riding is his escape.

Soon, the sun begins to fade, and the sky turns black. Stars, moons, planets, and galaxies twinkle above him. Part of him wants to stop to admire the constellations he never sees because of light pollution.

But sirens begin to blare in the distance, and House can see flashing red, white, and blue lights coming his way.

He tries to go faster, but instead, his motorcycle stops completely and he crashes into bushes.

The police catch up to him, and Tritter pulls him out of the greenery, an evil look stamped on his face. He grabs him by the collar, and soon they are face to face.

"Thought you could get away, Dr. House?" He sneers. "Thought you could get away from the law? Well, obviously, you thought wrong."

"Get off me!" House exclaims. "I didn't do anything wrong!" He stares into Tritter's eyes, giving him a spine-chilling look. House can feel the pain in his thigh from the crash, burning up and down his leg.

"You've run away from the law too many times, Dr. House. You've done illegal procedures, taken a copious amount of narcotics, and driven under the influence. Now…" Tritter smirks eerily, "you're under arrest."

House does nothing but yell and protest as he is shoved into the back of a police car. Just as he does, he is awoken by shaking.

"House?" Wilson shakes him awake frantically.

House opens one eye, thankful for the friendly face and the sight of his bedroom.

"House, you were talking in your sleep... screaming and yelling, actually. You were having a nightmare."

"Thanks, mommy, but I'm not sure I need you just because I had a bad dream." House reaches over for his Vicodin and notices a glass of water. He looks back at Wilson, and then the water, and mumbles, "thanks," as he drinks it with shaky hands and swallows two pills.

Wilson rolls his eyes and retreats back to the couch, closing the door on his way out.

House flips over his pillow, and goes back to sleep.

******

The third time is when he decided to sleep at Cuddy's for the night.

Cuddy smiles as she climbs into bed at the lightly snoring man on the other side, while House talks to her at a fundraiser.

They're both smiling, and Cuddy is happy despite House downing as many drinks as he usually would.

"We should dance," she suggests, putting her hand on her hip which is covered by a sexy, red dress.

"That's a little bit difficult." House motions toward the right side of his body where his crippled leg and cane are.

"Right…" Cuddy's voice trails off.

"I'm no dancer… I mean, I do basically have one left foot after all, but I can try." He knows the guilt made him say that, but so did the admiration.

Cuddy's face lights up much like the twinkling icicle lights hanging around the lobby, and they begin to sway on the dance floor.

Suddenly, a man holding a gun decides to join the party. He walks toward the two in the dance floor, and with a sinister smile calls, "Dr. Cuddy!"

House and Cuddy tense up when they see the gun. The man points it at Cuddy, and they both put their hands up.

"It's all over for you," the man says right before he pulls the trigger.

When the shot rings out is when he wakes up. He shoots upward, breathing deeply. Cuddy stirs, and sits up when she notices him awake and in a panic.

"It was just a nightmare," she reassures, although she isn't even one hundred percent sure it was. She makes circles with her hand on his damp back, and feels his forehead with the other one.

"You're running a fever." She frowns, and tousles his hair.

"I'm okay, you're okay, so I'm okay," he says to her, panting a little. "Let's go back to sleep."

They both lie back down, House's arm around Cuddy, and she snuggles up to him and drifts off.

House stays up until Cuddy's five thirty alarm goes off.

******

The fourth time is right after the bus crash.

House is stationary in the hospital bed, his hand clutching Cuddy's, and he sits on the bus.

He stares at Amber who is facing front, with no hint of emotion on her face.

"Come on," he drunkenly slurs. "Let's spill embarrassing secrets about Wilson."

She looks over at him, a smile tugging at her lips. "That's juvenile."

"It's fun," he corrects. "I'll go first." He clears his throat. "Wilson got dared to wear a diaper in the first week I met him, and he did it."

"Ew," she scoffs. "Wilson has nightmares when the room is pitch black."

"I knew that already."

"Fine." Amber has to think. She knows House knows most of his secrets. "Wilson isn't good in bed when he tries."

"That I did not know, but that's great blackmail, so thanks."

"Don't do anything of the sorts," she threatens.

"Fun suck-"

House is interrupted by the crash.

Glass sprawls everywhere upon impact, and House knows it's the end for Amber because he has already experienced it in real life.

He wakes up when he loses consciousness.

He's coughing, and his throat is dry. Cuddy bites her bottom lip and helps him sip some water.

"Everything will be alright, just wait and see," she tells him.

He wants to respond, but she doesn't let him speak.

"Go back to sleep, now."

He catches a glimpse of Wilson in the hallway, and then closes his eyes.

******

The fifth time is when House falls asleep in his office.

His breathing can be heard once someone was to enter the room, but that isn't the case as he enters Kutner's apartment.

He draws nearer to the bedroom, and sees Kutner reminiscing about his past, with photos scattered on the floor, and yearbooks open to random pages.

"Hey," he greets House who is slightly startled by the sudden break in the silence.

"Spring cleaning?" House remarks, looking down at the floor. One picture stands out to him in particular. It's a picture of him conducting a differential with the team.

"Yeah, you could say that." Kutner looks up at him.

House notices something different, yet he cannot place his finger on it. He sees despair and anticipation in Kutner's eyes, but he can't figure out why it's important.

"When was this taken?" House asks, pointing his cane at the picture he noticed earlier.

"Oh, I asked Wilson to take it a couple of months ago. I want to have something to remember all of the important things in my life."

"Wow, I must say that is quite deep. What are you, a girl?" House smirks, and watches as Kutner smiles.

"I'm sure you did the same."

"No, I'm no sissy."

Kutner pulls a shoebox from under his bed. "I haven't had many pictures taken recently," he admits, opening the lid of the shoebox, but hiding the contents of it.

"Is that so?"

"Yeah."

Silence fills the air.

"You know, I'm no sissy, either." With that, Kutner pulls out a gun, and points it at himself. He smiles, and pulls the trigger.

House wakes up when the bullet is released from the gun.

He breathes heavily, for a few seconds before going into a coughing fit and finally sighing. He rubs his face with his hand, and then massages his temples with his fingertips.

He jumps when the door is opened.

Wilson walks in front of him, a worried look on his face. He just says, "Cuddy told me to get you and bring you home."

Wilson is dressed in all black, and it takes House almost a full minute to remember that part of his nightmare was true.

"Yeah, right, okay," House answers slightly dazed. He gets up off his chair, and they exit the room, House trying to leave his nightmare behind.

It stays with him forever.

******

The times House has good dreams is after solving a case, or just having a really good day.

He is smiling and relaxed, as he runs through the jogging park on a warm spring day. There are hott girls running toward him, seeming to take interest in none of the men other than him, and Wilson on his left. Cuddy is on his right, and at every half of the track she'll kiss him on the cheek, while they're still jogging.

Every once in a while they'll see all of his team members both past and present, jogging on the other side of the track, and his parents smiling from under a nearby tree.

None of the geese or the ducks from the pond are stupid enough to cross the path, and the landscape blurs around the joggers just as he likes it.

House smiles as the three of them gossip. He frequently spits out witty comments, and the two people next to him both laugh, barely able to keep running.

He loves every minute of his dream life, and he doesn't wake up.

Instead, he continues smiling.

**AN: What did you think?**

**I tried to give the effect of being jolted awake, like the suddenness of it, so let me know if I did a good job of that.**

**Thanks for reading!**


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